Industry news
Jogger cable death probe launched
Posted Thu, 26 Jul 2012
The tragic death of a jogger who apparently ran into a high voltage cable has triggered a health and safety investigation.
The man, 42, from the Saffron Walden area of Essex, was with a group of three other runners when he made contact with the low-hanging cable in a pasture close to Newport, Essex, around 8.40pm on Tuesday.
The cable, carrying approximately 11,000 volts, was thought to be hanging low across the runner's path.
Paramedics, firefighters and police were called to the scene, but the man died instantly. Two of the other joggers had minor injuries.
Detective Inspector Stephen Jennings was at the site of the accident Thursday morning, meeting with UK Power Networks representatives.
Jennings said: "We are investigating with the Health and Safety Executive and Fire Service to establish exactly how the man came into contact with the cable.
"This is a thankfully unusual event but it is obviously a tragedy for everybody involved."
The runner had been jogging on paths that crisscross through farm and wooded areas east of Newport, located approximately half a mile from the closest road. Apparently the man's jogging partners called emergency services.
A UK Power Networks spokesman refused to respond to local reports that said the low-hanging cable had been reported to the power company earlier in the evening.
Copyright Press Association 2012